Essay collection – call for papers
Editors: Merritt Moseley (University of North Carolina, Asheville), Dieter Fuchs (Vienna University), Wojciech Klepuszewski (Koszalin University of Technology)
Kingsley Amis is predominantly famous for Lucky Jim, published in 1954, which remains a much-cherished classic, reprinted regularly and translated into many languages. This was, in fact, Amis’s first published novel, as prior to writing Lucky Jim, he had written The Legacy, which remained unpublished. It seems that the title of his first, and failed, literary attempt, paradoxically heralded a long literary career, with a whole range of novels, poems, short stories, non-fiction, and other works. As a result, two decades after Kingsley Amis’s death, we can reflect upon ‘the legacy’ of one of the most distinguished English writers of the 20th century.
Much has been written about Kingsley Amis and his oeuvre, be it in the form of numerous reviews, critical articles, and, most importantly, monographic volumes written by eminent scholars. What should also be mentioned are works of a biographical nature, the monumental biography and the edition of Amis’s letters, both by Zachary Leader, being the case in point. However, Kingsley Amis’s heritage is so rich and inspiring that there is still room for scholarly and critical analysis, room to discuss perspectives and voices.
The aim of the volume is manifold and comprises predominantly Amis’s literary works, all genres included, but also Amis’s non-fiction, letters, and memoirs. A full picture of Amis and his achievement would not be comprehensive without including the people who influenced his life and works, such as his friend, Philip Larkin; his second wife, Jane Howard, also a writer; and his son, Martin Amis, who became an acclaimed writer himself.
Possible areas comprise the following:
- Amis as a poet
- Amis and academic fiction
- Amis in non-fiction
- Amis and The Angry Young Men
- Amis and women
- Amis the critic
- Amis in letters
- The Bond Amis
- Amis in film
- Amis and friends
- Amis and America
- Amis and son
- Amis on Amis
- Amis in translation
- Amis and SF
- Amis and crime fiction
- Amis on ageing
- Amis on drink
- Amis and politics
- Amis in biographies
- Amis and the English language
However, any relevant contribution in the context of Kingsley Amis, his life and his works, is most welcome.
Please send a short proposal by 30 January 2016: